The New Era. (Davenport, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 4, 1912 Page: 4 of 6
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. AfALE OF THC PLAIN5
f tf x -v «fiv Randall, Parpism- •
^^uthor Or'mv Ladv Of THe South!"
'When Wilderness Was Kino"[rcjrc
IlLUSTWATIOMS Bv dcahr^nn Mtuvilu'
SYNOPSIS.
Jack Keith. a Virginian, now a bor-
der plainsman, Is looking Tor roaming war
parties of savages He sees a wagon team
ai full gallop pursued by men on ponies.
When Keith reaches the wagon the rala-
rrs have massacred two men anil de-
parted. He searched the victims (Inning
papers and /l locket with a woman's por-
trait. Keith is arrested at Carson City,
charged with the murder, IiIb accuser be-
ing a ruffian named Black Hart. A neKrn
companion In h>4 cell named Neb tells him
that he knew the Keiths In Virginia. Neb
Buys ond of ttie murdered men was Jor.n
Sibley, the other Gen. Willis Walte. form-
erly a Confederate officer. The plainsman
and Neb escape, and later the fugitives
come upon a cabin and find Its occupant
to be a young girl, whom Keith thlnhs
he saw at Carson City. The girl explains
that she Is In search of 11 brother, who
had deserted from the army, and that a
Mr. Hawley Induced her to come to the
cabin while he sought her brother. Haw-
ley appears, and Keith In hiding recog-
nizes him us Black Hart. There Ts a ter-
rific battle In the darkened room In which
Keith Is victor. Horses are appropriated,
and the girl who says that Iter name Is
Hope Joins In the escape. Keith explains
his situation and the fugitives make for
Fort Lamed, where the girl Is left with
the hotel landlady. Miss Hope tells that
Ah. Is the daughter of General Walte.
Keith and Neb drift Into Sheridan, where
Keith meets an old friend. Or. Falrbaln.
Keith meets the brother of Hope Walte.
Under the assumed name of Fred Wll-
loughby, and becomes convinced that
Black Bart has some plot Involving the
two. Hope learns that Gen. Walte. who
was thought murdered. Is at Sheridan,
and goes there, where she Is mistaken for
Christie Maclalre, the Carson City singer.
Keith meets the real Christie Macllllre
and finds that Black Bart has convinced
her that there Is a mystery In her life
which he Is going to turn to her advan-
tage. The plainsman tells Hope Walte of
her resemblance to Christie Maclalre.
I hey decide that Fred Wllloughby may
hold the key to the situation. Keith finds
Wllloughby shot dead. Hope Is told of
the death of her brother. Keith falls to
learn what representations Black Burt
has nindo to Christie Maclalre. Hope
suggests that In order to learn the secret
she must briefly Impersonate the stage
•Inger. Dr. Falrbaln Is In love with
Christie Muclalre and Keith Induces him
to detain her from the stage while Hope
«oes to tho theater where she meets
Hack Bart, who, thus deceived, tells
Hope that General Walte has suspected
his plaiiB and that they must fly. Hope,
greatly alarmed, demurs. General Walte
appears and says Black Bart has stolen
papers from hfm regarding an Inheri-
tance. Keith Is Informed that Christie
Maclalre's real name Is Phyllis Gale and
that she Is the half sister of Hope. The
latter has been carried away by Black
Bart and his gang. Dr. Falrbaln avows
his love for Phyllis and she accepts him.
Keith and his friends strike the trail of
Black Bart.
Bristoe, creeping about on hands and
knees, studied the signs with Ibe eyes
of an Indian.
You kin see the dlff'rence yere
whar the ground Is soft, Cap." be said,
pointing to some tracks plainer than
the others. "This yere hoss had a
rider, but the rest of 'em was led;
thet's why they've bungled up tber
trail so. An' It wa'n't ther same
bunch thet went back east what come
from thar—Bee tbet split hoof! thar
ain't no split hoof p'inting ther other
way—but yere is the mark of the crit-
(Copyright, A. C. McClure * Co.. 131#.)
Fork. Now, angry with baffled ambi-
tion, and a victim of her trickery,
there was no guessing to what ex-
tremes the desperado (night resort.
The possibilities of such a situation
made the slightest delay In rescue an
agony almost unbearable. Reaching
Carson City, and perfectly reckless as
to his own safety there from arrest,
the plainsman lost no time in perfect-
ing arrangements for pushing for-
ward. Horses and provisions were pro-
cured, and he very fortunately discov-
ered In town two cowboys belonging
ter thet puts her root down so fur j to the "Har X" outfit, their work there
outside thet we've been a trailln' from accomplished and about ready to re
Sheridan, an' she's p'inting east, an' turn to the ranch on the Canadian,
being led. Now. let's see whar the ; who gladly allied themselves with his
bunch went from yere with thet spill party, looking forward to the possl
hoof." liilities of a fight with keen antlclpa
This was not so easily accom lion. Keith was more than ever de-
pllshed owing to the nature of the j lighted with adding these to his outfit,
ground, but at last the searchers when, on the final arrival of the oth-
stumbled onto tracks close In under ; era, the extra man brought from Sher-
the bank, and one of these revealed j idan announced that he had had
the split hoof. I enough, and was going to remain
"That makes it clear, Hen." ex-
claimed Keith, decidedly, staring out
across the river at the white sand-
hills. "They have kept on the edge of
the water, making for the ford, which
is yonder at the lx>nd H'hey are out
in the sand desert by this time riding
for the Salt Fork. Whoever he was,
the fellow brought them five horses,
and the Ave old ones were taken east
again on the trail. The girl Is still
with the party, and we'li go Into Car-
son City and reoutflt."
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Again at the Cabin.
They were two weary days reach-
ing Carson City, traveling along the
open trail yet meeting with no one.
not even a mall coach passing tbem. J of form had proven himself hard and
there. No efTorts made revealed any
knowledge of Hawley's presence In
Carson City; either he had not been
there, or else bis friends were very
carefully concealing the fact. The ut-
ter absence of any trace, however, led
Keith to believe that the gambler had
gone elsewhere—probably to Fort
Lamed—for his new outfit, and this
belief left him more fully convinced
than ever of the fellow's efforts to
conceal his trail.
The party escorting Walte reached
the town in the evening, and In the
following gray dawn the adventurers
forded the river, and mounted on fresh
horses and fully equipped, headed
forth Into the sand hills. The little
company now consisted of Keith, Falr-
baln, who. In spite of his rotundity
CHAPTER XXXIII.—(Continued.)
By this time Keith had reached
definite decision as to his course. If
the fugitives received a fresh relay
of borseB down there somewhere, and
crossed the Arkansas, he felt positive-
ly sure as to their destination. But it
would be useless pushing on after
tbem In the present Bhape of his party
—their horses worn out. and Walte
reeling giddily in the saddle. If Haw-
ley's outfit crossed the upper ford, to-
ward which they were evidently head
Ing, and struck through the sand hills
then they were making for the refuge
of that lone cabin on Salt Fork.
Should this prove true, then it was
probable the gambler had not even
yet discovered the identity of Hope,
for If he had. he would scarcely ven-
ture upon taking her there, knowing
that Keith would naturally suBpect
the spot. But Keith would not be like-
ly to personally take up the trail in
search for Christie Maclalre. It must
have been Hawley then who had lett
the party and ridden east, snd up to
that time he had not found out his
mistake. Yet If be brought out the
fresh animals the chances were that
Hope's Identity would be revealed.
Bristoe. who had turned aside to ex-
amlne the straying horse, came trot-
ting np.
"Belonged to their outfit all right.
Cap," he reported, "carries the double
cross brand and that shebang Is
upon the Smokey; saddle galls still
bleeding."
Waite was now suffering so acute-
ly they were obliged to halt before
gaining sight of the river, finding, for-
tunately, a water-hole fed by a spring.
As soon as the sick man could l>e
made comfortable, Keith gave to the
others bis conclusions, and listened to
what they had to say. Bristoe favor-
ed clinging to the trail, even though
they must travel Blowly, but Falrbaln
insisted that Walte must be taken to
some town where he could be given
necessary care. Keith finally decided
the matter.
"None can be more anxious to reach
those fellows that I am," he declared,
"but I know that country out south,
and we'll never get through to the
Salt Fork without fresh horses. Be-
sides, as the doctor says, we've go( to
take care of Walte. If we find things
as I expect we'll ride for Carson City,
and re-outfit there. What's more, we
won't lost much time—It's a shorter
ride from there to the cabin than from
here."
By morning the General was able to
■It his saddle again, and leaving him
with Neb to follow slowly, the others
spurred forward, discovered an outlet
through the bluff Into the valley, and
crossed the Santa Ke Trail. It was
not easy to discover where those In
advance had passed this point, but
they found evidence uf a late camp In
a little grove of cottonwoods beside
the river. There were traces of two
trails leading to the spot, one being
that of the same five horses they had
been following so long, the other not
so ea Uy reart. as It had been trav-
ersed In both directions, the dlfierent
hoof marks obliterating each other.
The Four Crossed the Stream, Wading to Their Waists in the Water.
Evidently the Indians were so trou-
blesome as to interrupt all traffic with
Santa Fe and the more western fortB.
The slowness of their progress was
on account of the General, whose con-
dition became worse In spite of Falr-
baln's assiduous attentions. With no
medicine the doctor could do but little
to relieve the sufferings of the older
tnan, although he declared that his
Illness was not a serious one. and
would yield quickly to proper medical
treatment. They constructed a rude
travols from limbs of the cottonwood,
and securely strapped him thereon,
one man leading Ihe horse, while the
doctor tramped behind
Keith, fretting more and more over
this necessary delay, and now ob-
sessed with the thought that Hawley
fit. Neb, having charge of the single
pack-horse, the scout Bristoe, and the
two cowboys of the "Bar X." rough,
wiry fellow, accustomed to expo-
sure and peril. It was emphatically a
fighting outfit, and to be trusted In
emergency.
Tbey followed the cattle trail south
toward the Salt Fork, as this course
would afford them a camp at the only
water-hole In all that wide desert ly-
ing between. With this certainty of
water, they ventured to press their
animals to swifter pace, although the
sand made traveling heavy, and the
trail Itself was scarcely discernible.
It was a hard, wearisome ride, hour
after hour through the same (lull,
dreary landscape of desolation, the
hot. remorseless sun beating down
more horrible by Its semblance to wa-
ter, yet never tempting them to stray
aside. After the first mile conversa-
tion ceaaed, the men riding grimly,
silently forward, Intent only on cov-
ering all the distance possible. Late
that night they camped at the water-
hole, sleeping as best they could,
scourged by the chill wind which
swept over them and lashed grit into
exposed faces. With the first gray of
dawn they swung stiffened forms Into !
the saddles and rode on, straight as ;
the crow files, for the Salt Fork. They
attained that stream at sundown, gray
with sand dust, their faces streaked
from perspiration, feeling as though
the sun rays had burned their brains,
with horses fairly reeling under them.
According to Keith's calculation this
cattle-ford must be fully ten miles be-
low where the cabin sought was situ-
ated; two hours' rest, with water and
food, would put both horses and men
again in condition, and the traveling
was easier along the bank of the
Fork. With this in mind, cinches were
loosened, the animals turned out to
graze, and the men, snatching a hasty
bite, flung themselves wearily on tha
ground.
All but Falrbaln were asleep when
Keith aroused them once more, a little
before nine, unable in his impatience
to brook longer delay. Within ten min-
utes horses were saddled, weapons
looked to carefully, and the little party
began their advance through the dark-
ness, moving cautiously over the un-
even ground, assisted greatly by the
bright desert stars gleaming down up-
on them from the cloudless sky over-
head. The distance proved somewhat
less than had been anticipated, and
Keith's watch waa not yet at eleven,
when his eyes revealed the fact that
they had reached the near vicinity of
the lonely island on which the cabin
stood. Reining in his horse sharply,
he swung to the ground, the others in-
stantly following his example, realiz-
ing they had reached the end of the
route Hands instinctively loosened
revolvers in readiness for action, the
younger of the "Bar X" men whistling
softly in an effort to appear uncon-
cerned. Keith, with a gesture, gather-
ed them more closely about him.
"If Hawley Is here himself," he said
quietly, watching their faces in the
starlight, "he will certainly have a
guard set, and there may be one any-
how. We can't afford to take chances,
for there will be five men, at least, on
the island, and possibly several more.
If they are looking for trouble they
will naturally expect It to come from
the north—consequently we'll make
our attack from the opposite direction,
and creep in on them under the shad-
ow of the corral. The first thing 1
want to do Is to locate Miss WTalte so
she will be in no danger of getting
hurt in the melee. You boys hold y^ur
fire until I let loose or give the word.
Now, Doctor, I want you and Neb to
creep up this bank until you are di-
rectly opposite the cabin—he'll know
the spot—and lie there out of sight
until we begin the shooting. Then
both sail in as fast as you can. I'll
take Bristoe and you two "Bar X" men
along with me, and when we turn
loose with our shooting irons you can
all reckon the fight Is on. Any of you
got questions to ask?"
No one said anything, the silence ac-
cented by the desert wind bowling
mournfully In the branches of near by
cottonwood.
"All right then, boys, don't get ex-
cited and go off half cocked; be easy
on your trigger fingers. Come along,
you fellows who are traveling with
me."
The four crossed the stream, wading
to their waists In the water, their
horses left bunched on the eouth bank,
and finally crawled out into a bunch
of mesqulte. As they crept along
through the darkness, whatever doubts
Keith might have previously felt re
gardlng the presence on the Island of
the party sought were dissipated by the
unmistakable noise made by numer-
ous horses In the corral. Slowly, test-
ing each step as they advanced, so no
Bound should betray them, the four
men reached the shelter of the stock-
ade. The older of the "Bar X" men
lifted himself by hiB hands, aud
peered cautiously over.
tTO BE CONTINUED.)
Test for Water.
To test drinking water, put one tea
spoonful of granulnted sugar in a pint
of the water you want to test. Cork
tightly, place on the kitchen mantel
shelf. If pure the water will remain
clear. If not It will cloud densely, and
ought to be analyzed
nu maww A
must have rejoined bis party on the j upon them, reflecting up into their
Arkansas and gone south with them. Mistered faces from the hot surface of
tlnnliy broke away from the others sand There was scarcely a brealb of
and rode ahead, to gather together the air. and the bodies of men and horses
necessary horses and supplies In ad > were bathed in perspiration. Not a
vance of their arrival He could not I cloud hung In the blue sky; no wing
drive from his mind the remouiprance 1 of a bird broke the monotony of dls-
of the gambler's attempted familiarity lance, no living animal crept across
with Hope, when he had her, as he the blazing surface of th« desert. Oc-
then supposed, safe In his power once nationally a distant mirage attracted
b'.'ote in that lonely cabin on the Salt , the eye. maklug the dead reality even
Test of Eligibility.
Man's right to vote does not rest on
respectability or Intelligence, but on
the very fact that he has been wear-
In^ a pair of pants for twenty-one
years, and, In all probability, eat-
ing or burning up a tun of cheap to-
bacco.
Lasting Hatred.
There Is a sort of hatred whlcb
never Is extinguished; It Is the hatred
that superiority inspires in mediocri
ty.—Paul BoarguL
The Easter
Festival
By Lena M. McCauley
HE world Itself keeps Easter
Day," begins an old carol In
recognition that Easter is a
festival of spring. While
the Christian faith accepts
it as a movable feast de-
pending on the time of the
Paschal moon, it Is always
within the period when na-
ture is awaking from win-
ter to a renewal of life.
Each day the sun rises
earlier. Its warmth drawing
the frost from the ground.
As If by magic the dull
fields are veiled In tender green and
the flowers bud In the sheltered
places.
In the first days of human history
the cave man rubbed dry sticks to-
gether to steal fire from the sun.
When the spring melted the ice of
winter, he bowed more profoundly to
the great luminary in the sky as it
appeared in the east, and later when
i be built his altars he renewed the
fires when the sun turned northward.
The word Easter is from the Saxon
"Eostre," the name of the goddess of
! spring. "Eoster" lived in the east
with the rising sun. She was the
most gentle of all the deities of the
pagan world. As she tripped across
; the meadows the grass came out, the
flowers blossomed, the Ice was broken
in the brooks, and the streams sang
merrily. All the earth rejoiced, for
1 the fairer Beasons of the year were at
hand.
Significant of Resurrection.
Each year Eostre was born sgatn
significant of the resurrection from
the dead of the Christian faith. The
young plants awoke to life from dry
seeds, the chicks from the eggs, and
everywhere in nature the springtide
under the spell or Eostre became
lovely after the winter's sleep.
The Romans adopted the Saxon
Eostre as their goddess Aurora. When
the Christian fathers were naming the
feasts of the church It was a wise
thought that brought the old nature
worship and the Easter resurrection
into harmony.
The Emperor ConBtantlne. at the
beginning of the fourth century, re
solved to fix the time of Easter that
It should not conflict with the Jewish
Passover. To prevent disputes, he
made the rules which were accepted at
the Council of Nice in 326 A. D. The
twenty-flrst day of March was known
as the Vernal Equinox, the next full
moon was the moon of Nlsan. or the
I Jewish Passover, and the Lord's Day
following was Easter Day. But if the
full moon happened on a Sunday.
Easter Day was the Sunday after that.
Old Easter cuatoms. while differing
widely according to religions and la
calltles. had some things In common
The Easter flower has alwayB been
sacred to altars. Today we speak of
the EaBter lily, meaning the St Jo-
seph lily, and In other parts of the
world the daffodil, or the narcissus,
or the calla Illy may be regarded as
tha Easter Illy. The Easter egg is
generally treasured snd the Faster
candle Is a sacred flre, the egg per-
taining to the resurrection of life,
and the flre to eternal life.
The return of the sun at the vernal
equinox was an occasion for rejoicing
smong the pagans In general, espe
daily the wandering tribes who stud
led the skies, the Druids, and wild
northern peoples The flre worship,
ers of Persia, living on the high arid
plateaux at this season, rose more
reverently with the dawn and spread
their rugs to kheel In adoration await
Ing the token in the east of the source
of light and life The Easter eg^s AH
symbols of the gods of good and evil,
Ormusd and Adrlman, were popular In
Persia and ftylr colored They were
exchanged as gifts, even solemn dig-
nitaries carrying them about in their
voluminous robes and presenting
them to friends.
Easter Symbols Universal.
The colored Easter eggs, as gay as
the Easter flowers in the fields, are
universal. In Russia and in Paris,
and in fact today in all large cities
of the world, imitation eggs are made
of confectionery, and Jewelers go so
far as to make eggs of gold and sil-
ver and to set them with gems for the
Easter trade.
The Christian church introduced
the most beautiful celebrations of all.
Easter is the inspiring feast of the
year and Its celebration means a re-
newal of faith. Even In remote parts
of the world, where priests and their
little flocks assemble, the Easter
lig"hts burn on the altars and faithful
congi*gations sing EaBter carols with
Joy.
The most solemn celebration of all
Is that held in the Church of the Holy
Sepulcher at Jerusalem. Pilgrims as-
semble from every corner of Christen-
dom, and ascend the Via Dolorosa
chanting prayers. Many attend the
feet-washing ceremonies, and throngs
haste to the church where devotion
keeps them waiting from Good Friday
until Saturday afternoon, when the
Patriarch with unllghted torch enters
the gloom of the sepulcher.
Tbey watch with bated breath for
his return. No light flickers in the
darkness, then suddenly a blaze
flames up, the torch is on flre and
with a shout of thanksgiving the mul-
titude breaks into singing a glorious
hymn of thanksgiving. Those nearest
the altar eagerly snatch flre from the
torch, candle after candle Is lighted
until every taper in the church Is
burning. The worshipers rise, the
gloom is dispelled, and they go forth
Into the gray of the morning greeting
one another, "Christ is arisen!" meet-
ing the reply. "He is arisen Indeed!"
Ceremonies at Rome.
The festal ceremonies at Rome arei
most splendid. The Pope officiates at
mass cm that day and fit. Peter's is
filled with cardinals, prelates, and dig-
nitaries from all parts of the world.
The day is ushered In by firing can-
non from the Castle of St. Angelo.
The magnificent basilica Is richly
decorated, altars are newly ornaments
ed, the lights around St. Peter's tomb
are burning, and the Pope is seated
in his chair of state In vestments
ablaze with gold.
Easter carols are sung In all Chris-
tian lands. Some of the most beauti-
ful are those from the Tyrol, where
singers go from house to house. Spain
gives way to Joy in fetes, and gifts are
made to the Virgin, who Is adorned
with her best robes and Jewels at this
time. Russians enjoy a gift tree,
like our Christmas tree, while Jew-
eled Easter eggs are exchanged In
the Imperial household.
The Easter carol of the Christian
church Is sacred history and nature
worship together. One of the favor,
ltes begins;
"Let the metry church-bells ring.
Hence with tears and slglng.
Frost and cold have fled with spring, ,
Life hath conquered dying;
Flowers are smlltng. fields are gay.
Sunny Is the weather,
With our rising Lord today.
All things rise together."
Another carol Is "The Strife Is O'er,
the Battle Done," while many have
the refrain of "Alleluia." Wherever
there are chimes of bells they are
rung Joyously In celebration.
There Is a mystery about the ori-
gin of the Easter rabbit of Germany
Egg-hunting In the forest, where
gro^n people have hidden the colored
eggs Is Bs popular as egg-rolling la
on the White House grounds In Wash-
ington In some places doves are lib-
erated at Easter, and It Is quite gen-
eral to fill Easter baskets with flow- '
ers. or cakes, and to make visits to
renew good will among friends i
A great deal of beautirul music has
been written for the Easter servlce, I
which have become elaborate ocoa' *
slons in the churches Manv carols
that arc sung have been hand«d down
by tradition and repeated from luther \
to son They frequently tell the New '
Testament story of the first Christian !
EaBter morning when Christ r„ta >
from the tomb, snd gave nil human >
lugs faltb in Immortality.
Ji
*
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The New Era. (Davenport, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 4, 1912, newspaper, April 4, 1912; Davenport, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc109837/m1/4/?rotate=90: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.